Are We Still Family? (one-shot)
by MeganCK
Summary: In TLO, Annabeth mentions that Luke came to her just before they traversed the Labyrinth, asking for forgiveness. He wanted to run away with Annabeth, and start over. However, Annabeth never gave us the full story. Here it is. Takes place after TTC, just before BoTL. Mentions of Percabeth.


**Annabeth's POV**

Annabeth twirled my new gray streak of hair around her finger, memories of pain flooding her mind. Holding up the sky had been no easy feat, that was for sure. She remembered how Percy had snuck away from camp on a quest, wanting to save Artemis... and her. He'd denied that second part, but Annabeth knew otherwise.

She didn't know why the thought had filled her with glee. Sure, Percy was her best friend, but he was the son of Poseidon. He was destined for things like rescue missions and saving damsels in distress.

But Annabeth wasn't a damsel in distress. She was perfectly capable of handling herself, and Percy knew that all too well.

So why did she feel so...elated when Percy had showed up at the top of Mount Tam, sword in hand, ready to free Artemis and bring the both of them back home?

Annabeth's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. One hand on her bronze knife, she opened the door, and there stood Luke. He was supposed to be dead. No one survives a fifty-foot drop unscathed, after all.

"Luke? You're alive?" Annabeth didn't know what to think. She wanted to be happy that he wasn't a pancake at the bottom of Mount Tam, but at the same time, he'd trapped her under the weight of the sky and tried to kill her friends. Was he trustworthy?

Annabeth wasn't sure anymore.

"Don't ask. I... I have an offer, Annabeth."

Annabeth kept her hand on her knife, in case Luke tried something. "What?" Her voice came out colder than intended.

Luke looked as if he were struggling to find words. "Kronos-he has plans-and they, well, they're not good."

"What plans?" Annabeth interrupted.

"He-he wants to take over me. Use me for his physical form."

Annabeth was shocked. She wouldn't put it past Kronos to posses someone, but still... Luke wouldn't be Luke anymore.

"This is what you get, Luke. You shouldn't have left camp in the first place."

Luke avoided her eyes. "That isn't the only choice."

Annabeth was suspicious. Children of Hermes -especially ones named Luke Castellan- were known for their trickery. "What do you mean?"

"We could run away. Travel the country, just like we used to. I wouldn't have to become Kronos. You wouldn't have to worry about losing a war."

"Losing? Who says we're losing?"

"Don't you see it, Annabeth? Kronos' army outnumbers you two hundred to one. And they're not done recruiting yet."

For a second, Annabeth was tempted. She could escape the prophecy. She wouldn't have to look death in the eyes.

But then she remembered everyone who she had to fight for. Thalia. Nico. Chiron. Grover. Percy. All these names and faces circled around in her head, but for some reason, it kept coming back to Percy. She didn't know why.

"My allegiance is with the gods. Sorry, Luke. But I won't quit fighting just because I have a chance of death."

Luke's gaze hardened. "Why? Why do you want to fight for a family who doesn't care about you?"

Without thinking, Annabeth stuck the point of her knife under Luke's chin. "That's none of your business."

"It's Percy, isn't it." Luke said, realizing the truth.

Annabeth's face turned bright red, her hand tightening on the hilt of her knife.

"It is. You think he's going to live? Annabeth, the prophecy's about him. He's going to die by the time he's sixteen."

Annabeth pushed her knife farther under Luke's throat. "He'll be fine. After all, he beat you, didn't he?"

"That just gives me more reasons to kill him."

Annabeth felt a white-hot lump of anger rise in her throat. For some reason, the thought of Percy dying killed her inside. She wanted him to live. She cared about him. And if Luke killed him...

Annabeth sheathed her knife, keeping one hand on it just in case. Tears stung her eyes. "Get out."

Luke looked pained. "Annabeth, please... it'll be just like when we were younger. We can be a family again."

"_You _are the reason that we're not a family. Now get the Hades away from me."

Luke started to say something else, but Annabeth continued before he could, not wanting to hear his reasons.

"You _promised,_ Luke. You said you wouldn't abandon me like my mortal family did. And yet here we are. You tried to kill my _best friend_ and now you want forgiveness? I don't think so. We're not family anymore, Luke. Get away from me, and don't come near me again." Tears streamed down her face now, and she was screaming. Annabeth was mad, mad that Luke had betrayed her, mad that he'd tried to kill her.

Luke glared, his jagged scar becoming a thousand times more prominent and making him look like a villain. "Fine. But next time you see me, I may not be Luke anymore." He stormed away, slamming the door behind him.

Annabeth stood in shock for a while, lost in thought. She replayed the event over and over in her mind, trying to figure out why, exactly, she said no.

Betrayal aside, Luke _was_ like family to Annabeth. He'd taken her under his wing when she had nowhere else to go.

In the back of her mind, Annabeth knew why she hadn't dropped everything and ran.

Percy. He was Annabeth's best friend. He'd saved her life many times, and she'd done the same for him.

Annabeth hadn't run because she hadn't wanted to abandon Percy. She didn't want to leave him at the mercy of Kronos, who was dead-set on his death.

Annabeth wouldn't let Percy die. And if he did, she'd go down with him.

**So? What do you think?**


End file.
